Merfolk

Sailors were running about, jumpin

overboard, and screamin' about folks underwater not just
folks: women. I thought it had to be scurvy, or maybe just the
heat; we hadn't made landfall in weeks, and it was sure getting'
to the men. But then I looked over the bow and saw them for a
split second: a trio, a lad and two lasses.
Their gorgeous, serene shapes glided underwater, a long
fish's tail propellin' them forward. Beautiful, incandescent hues
danced on their skin as they neared the surface.
Then, just as suddenly as they arrived, they plunged back
down into the depths, and out of sight. We had good tides and
saw many other wondrous things on our voyage, but we never
did see their like again.
- Zide, human sailor, on spotting merfolk

Merfolk are aquatic humanoids who can be found

throughout the seas and oceans of the world. Possessing the
upper body of a human (albeit with webbed fingers and fins
instead of hair) and the lower body of a fish, they are at
home in the water, able to swim faster than most
humanoids can run and dive deep in search of food and
treasure.
Scattered Tribes
The sea is a dangerous place, filled with predators and
hostile peoples such as merrow and sahuagin. Moreover,
the technological developments that have helped humans to
conquer the lands are not available underwater. All of this
means that merfolk society has remained tribal and
undeveloped, in small, scattered communities.
Although there are some merfolk cities, built into easily-
defended mazes of rock and coral, there are relatively few
locations in the world that are suitable for such
development, and little incentive for merfolk to settle in
one place. Generally, the tribes are at the mercy of the
tides, forced to follow the schools of fish they hunt - or flee
the monsters that prey on them.
Hunters and Herders
Merfolk eat fish, both by hunting them in the wild and by
herding domesticated ones. Merfolk have selectively bred
large, docile fish to use as sources of meat and leather, and
the sharks, seals, octopi and seahorses they keep as pets are
trained as well as any human's hunting dogs.
Divergent Evolution
One of the great strengths of the merfolk people is their
adaptability. Their bodies quickly change in response to
changes in their environment, and isolated pockets of
merfolk can end up looking completely different from
others of their race after just a few generations.
Merfolk Names
Merfolk names sound like waves, rolling off the tongue.
Their tribe names, which are usually spoken before given
names, generally refer to a great deed done by a historical
figure, or else a location that is important or sacred to the
tribe.
Tribe Names: Darkfathom, Deepreach, Lightbringer,
Stormbinder, Waveseeker
Male Names: Allaton, Aniel, Genaho, Hodaton, Kyron,
Luniho, Nitono, Tiliel
Female Names: Anu, Asahi, Callani, Jimani, Kosurai, Oru,
Thinahi, Uluyu
Merfolk Traits
Merfolk have the following racial traits:
Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity score increases
by 2.
Age. Merfolk reach maturity at 16 and can expect to live
for 80 or 90 years in optimal conditions.
Alignment. Merfolk subscribe to a variety of alignments
ad worldviews, and there is no universal merfolk culture. A
good number tend towards neutrality, focusing only on the
survival of themselves and their tribe.
Size. A merfolk's body length is deceptive, since most of
it is tail. On land, they are the same size as humans. Your
size is Medium.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 25 feet and your base
swimming speed is 40 feet. Your tail transforms into a pair
of legs while you are on dry land.
Amphibious. You can breathe normally in either air or
water.
Watery Sanctuary. While you are swimming, you have
advantage on saving throws against spells and magical Pelagic Merfolk
effects. Often called deep merfolk, the pelagic live in the depths of
Darkvision. Your large eyes are well-adapted to dark the ocean, and rarely approach the surface. Their dim scales
and murky waters. You can see in dim light within 60 feet and large eyes have adapted to the scare sunlight, making
of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were them excellent hunters in the dark.
dim light. You cant discern color in darkness, only shades Ability Score Increase. Your Constitution score
of gray. increases by 1.
Languages. You can speak, read, and write Aquan and Bioluminescence. You are able to produce a small
Common. amount of light using photophores in your skin. As a bonus
Subrace. Many different subraces of merfolk exist. action, you can activate this ability in order to shed dim
Choose either littoral, tropical or pelagic. light in a 10-foot radius. You can deactivate this ability
with a further bonus action.
Littoral
Superior Darkvision. Your darkvision has a radius of
Littoral, or coastal, merfolk live and hunt in the shallow
120 feet.
waters near the shores of oceans and seas. Though they
Sunlight Sensitivity. You have disadvantage on attack
rarely stay on dry land for long, these merfolk are the most
rolls and on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight
likely to fraternize with surface-dwellers, bartering for
when you, the target of your attack, or whatever you are
useful tools with rare undersea treasures, like pearls and
trying to perceive is in direct sunlight.
seashells.
Ability Score Increase. Your Wisdom score increases Tropical Merfolk
by 1. Making their homes in the warm water around the equator,
Shipwreck Scavenger. You are adept at making do with tropical merfolk are often more lighthearted and colorful
whatever flotsam and jetsam the tides deliver to you. As an (often literally) than their follow merfolk. Their bright,
action, you can assemble any simple weapon or piece of colorful scales serve as a defense mechanism, warning
adventuring gear whose value is no more than 5 gp out of predators that their bodies are poisonous.
whatever random junk is lying around. The item falls apart Ability Score Increase. Your Charisma score increases
after 1 minute. by 1.
Venomous Secretions. Your body produces exotic
chemicals that help you to survive amongst the vicious
predators found in tropical waters. Whenever a creature hits
you with a melee attack, you can use your reaction to deal
poison damage equal to your Constitution modifier to that
creature. If you are swimming, this ability does not cost a
reaction.